Persona 4: Golden Review

When I heard a kickass RPG was coming to the Vita I was ecstatic, especially since it is an area that needed filling in the Vita's library. I watched reviews, felt the buzz of the USA and of the Japanese audience; then finally I gave in and imported it and this is my review of the game. Will it be Golden or will it be the coal in your stockings?

Main Overview (review)

Looking at the game on the Vita's OLED screen it looks absolutely stunning. The colours really pop on the Vita's screen and you can't help but notice the graphical improvements from its original PS2 counterpart. Whilst the original had a darker filter which some might prefer, the vivid array of colours added to this game are a nice addition and give the game a more 'friendly' feel. The fidelity of the character models and the buildings around Inaba has also improved a bit from the blurrier PS2 resolution, and whilst it might not look like a completely different game it still looks great. For the most part this game is presented in three different ways; the in-game engine rendering of the 3D models that you explore and walk around in, the 2D overlay (used in conversations) which has been artistically illustrated with images of the characters, which the higher res of the Vita lends itself to. and finally animated cut-scenes which come often enough that it mixes up the artstyle and provides plenty of animated content to go back and watch later. It is a truly commendable presentation style, with each part of it a well-oiled machine.

In terms of its menus P4G has a fluid menu system that allows fast access to its various features, with a nice set of illustrations of the characters and the various persona within to boot. Furthermore within the game there is access to a 'TV overlay' which allows you to do other things such as take part in a quiz about the game, watch animated cutscenes, watch the music from the game performed live and more. The process of using the features is extremely easy and fast and is a welcome distraction from the heaviness of the main story at times.

Speaking of the game's story, it is definitely well implemented with much of the more effective stories being unlocked through maxing out the social links (in case you don't know social links are effectively relationship points.) In particular in the 100 hours played so far I've maxed out a few but I enjoyed Yumi, Rise, Kanji and the Dojima's the most. The game really creates a diverse set of characters which are interesting to learn about and produce an impression from the player. It is of note also that this social process is integral to the game as through certain social links you will gain additional powers in battle or be able to fuse more powerful Persona.

Though I found myself hardly using the fusion functions on my first play through, the game actively encourages you to use the system, which is intricately designed and is interesting to play around with. However this fusion system has its pitfalls, namely that it isn't explained to the player all that well and it is more a case of trial and error than anything else if you aren't sure how to get the most effective fusions.

I feel like I'm not doing the game justice by not speaking about it's plethora of features, but to write about all of them would take page after page. So to break down the main gameplay there is the dungeon exploration and combat segments and also the aforementioned social links system. The game has a nice balance of social link building to dungeon exploration however due to the game being set to a day by day (in game time) date basis you must decide what you wish to do very carefully and make sure that every decision you make is the right one.

The combat system is a turn based affair which has a main focus on strategics, such as finding enemy weaknesses, using your buff spells appropriately and trying to endure the battle without using too much SP. Also of note is the fact the MC (Main Character) is able to use multiple Persona whilst the rest of the team may only hold one. Often battles can become extremely exciting offering up genuinely challenging battles at times, be warned that some grinding may need to be done for the latter half of he game. Furthermore, the battle ends regardless of other characters in the parties life if the MC dies, so it is important to keep an eye on the main characters current HP situation.

The dungeon exploration is usually quite formulaic in that all dungeons are maze like, with treasures and exits hidden around the course. Dungeons can consist of anywhere from 6 floors to 13 floors which means that the game focuses more on the endurance of the player. This makes travelling through dungeons even more difficult (in a good way) keeping the player mindful of how many items they bring with them to heal HP and SP as well as status ailments in battle. There are some genuinely very interesting worlds (a certain old school world is especially cool) which keeps the maze like format feeling fresh despite the formulaic nature.

Other Golden Differences (Changes from the original P4)

Chie and Teddie have new voice actors, which despite some fan upset about particularly Chie's voice change serve the emotion and atmosphere of the game suitably.

Two new social links available through Marie and Adachi, although arguably I personally find the addition of an Adachi link to be more intriguing of the two the Marie link is really quite good as well though.

Shuffle Time now allows you to choose a set of cards rather than be completely random -- including gaining Persona.

The addition of a new 'true' ending to the game and a new dungeon

Better graphics and additional Voice work

More of the world to explore with additional activities

Special Features in the 'TV Overlay' including a quiz shw starring the characters from the main game as well as the ability to watch anime cut scenes again. Adding even more fun to the game and is quite well implemented so that it is easy to access.

Fantastic online integration (Can call for help from other players) to which if they respond you will receive a tiny bit of HP and SP at the start of the battle as well as the ability to see which activities other players did during a particular time period of the game.

A Valentine's day event which has different effects depending on if you are in a romantic relationship

Balancing of difficulty, so that on normal mode players now start from the beginning of the floor they died on and not from the start of the dungeon (except on harder difficulties)

The Verdict Persona 4 Golden takes one of the best RPG's of all time and makes it even better, adding hours of bonus content for the player to enjoy. This is a highly recommended purchase and is one of the most enjoyable games of the last year. It is definitely worth buying for those dedicated Vita owners. +/- Over 80 - 90 hours for the first play through of the game, which is great for those who search for longevity in a game, but it might be daunting to those who wish to sink in less hours as the game has a quite slow start. + Interesting Combat that keeps your mind constantly thinking of how to stratergise. + School life has never been so fun + Great Voice acting, Witty Dialogue and effective social links and stories. + Addictive, be sure you haven't forgotten to go to work or school! - Not enough explanation of the fusion system for beginners + Great, catchy tunes to nod along with as you play GAME STATUS: MUST BUY Game Score: 10/10 - GOLDEN Note: This is an Import review of the North American release of the game ahead of the release in Europe on February 22.